Friday, March 5, 2010

"The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex."

I have avoided reading Jane Austen's Emma because I find Emma's character in film versions to be quite repulsive through most of the story. I saved that novel for last, assuming it would be the Austen that I would enjoy the least. I never guessed that Sense and Sensibility would be so infuriating and would not have a single character that I did not find significantly deficient in some way. In the next couple of weeks, I will be reading Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters for the Chance Challenge (Challenge 8: Real and Inspired) and I can honestly admit that I will be rooting for the sea monsters.

Elinor Dashwood and her younger sister Marianne experience a change in situation when their father dies and leaves his estate, Norwood, to their half-brother. They, along with their mother and younger sister, find themselves in reduced circumstances and they end up moving to a cottage on the estate of a distant relative. It appears to be sufficient for their needs and they settle in nicely. Elinor pines for Edward Ferrars, her sister-in law's brother, and Marianne meets the handsome and sporty Willoughby and both sisters seem headed on their way to marriage. It's quite a surprise then when Willoughby leaves town quickly and unexpectedly and Edward starts behaving with a strange reserve toward Elinor. What could be the source of trouble for these two seemingly well-matched couples?

I really didn't have a problem with Austen's writing or storytelling in this book. I understood many of the social complexities that she was attempting to highlight. And yet I found every character to be flawed just past the point where it was tolerable. I didn't want to stop reading the book before it was done but I felt that each character received more than they deserved by the end of the story. At least in Emma I am assured of a few characters worthy of respect and the eventual improvement of Emma herself. Now on to the sea monsters ...

Wishing I had re-read Persuasion instead,
K

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7 comments:

I'm sorry you didn't like it. I haven't read this one yet, but I have read Emma. I really liked Emma because she was a character with so many flaws and I liked the fact that she undergoes a transformation in the end.

Marianne Dashwood - the Austen character I love to hate. There is a great book trailer on you tube where M tangles with the sea monster. Like you I was rooting for the sea-monster. I like Elinor though - but I do wish she would do the sensible thing and hate Marianne too! All that self-effacing makes M so selfish. Grr. I love the book overall though, depsite the revolting Marianne.

LOL S&S is by far my least favourite Austen, but I still enjoy rereading it on occasion (and I still love even my least fave Austen!). :) I'm rereading Persuasion right now; it's so marvelous.

Emma has grown on me over the years...it used to be one of my least favourite, but it's been moving up the ranks. I love the idea that even if we make silly mistakes, we can grow and change and everything can turn out alright in the end.

Passionate - I'm definitely going to try Emma next and, even though I had problems with this one, I will probably try a re-read in the future.

Teresa - I liked Mansfield Park too! That's why I'm a bit surprised that this one bothered me so much.

Jenners - P&P is a great place to start!

Jux - Oh, Marianne is so terrible! I need to find that trailer. :) Elinor was just too reserved for my tastes. The fact that she couldn't even talk to her own sister was annoying.

Eva - I think this will be my least favorite too because I have hopes for Emma. Like you said, it focuses on her change and improvement. I feel like nobody in S&S really changes all that much and yet things turn out well for them anyway.

J - I think I would put Persuasion first and then P&P, Northanger, Mansfield and S&S last. I will have to see where Emma fits in there! And I'm glad to know that the book is better than the adaptations. It gives me even more hope.